


things we will never get to say

by faithseed



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Angst, M/M, i guess idk yeah, major spoilers if you haven't beat the game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 08:08:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17341733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faithseed/pseuds/faithseed
Summary: Albert Mason misses Arthur Morgan, but he ends up meeting someone else in his search for him.





	things we will never get to say

**Author's Note:**

> yeah... I couldn't sleep so I was up until 6 in the morning working on this... it's kinda stupid but anyways i've been emo about it so.

Albert hadn’t meant to be continuously thinking about Arthur Morgan, but the man had left an impression on him unlike anything he ever experienced. All that time he spent with Arthur - all the times he had his life saved - it really meant something to him.

But lately, as he sat around thinking and daydreaming about the handsome outlaw, he found himself feeling a strange sort of sorrow. Perhaps he just missed the man greatly. It wasn’t completely unlikely. Ever since he left the wildlife photography behind, he hadn’t had a reason to run into Arthur.

It had been several years and Albert was missing Arthur something fierce. He missed his conversations, his smile, his voice, and most of all how warm and comforting he was to be around. Her could visibly remember his laugh and the soft tone of his voice as he spoke. He could remember the shape of his face and the curve of his shoulders and arms.

Oh, he really was incapable of forgetting such a man.

And since he couldn’t stop thinking about Arthur Morgan, he decided to revisit all around New Hanover and West Elizabeth in dire hopes of running into him. Yet, his endeavors left him with only loneliness. Perhaps he shouldn’t have expected the outlaw to stay in one spot, especially since it had been so long.

Albert somehow made his way down to Blackwater, spending sometime around town before making his way out to the vast emptiness of land. He wasn’t a man for danger, despite all the mess he had gotten into before, but danger seemed to draw Mr. Morgan out and this was his only hope to see him again.

So Albert found a nice spot to stop his horse at and waited around with a journal and a pen. He thought he should have brought his camera along, but then the thought of lugging it around reminded him why he didn’t bring it. But sitting around doing nothing was excruciating.

And then the sound of a horse riding towards him caught his attention and he perked up. His heart was racing - was it really him? Was he finally going to see him again? As the rider got closer, Albert couldn’t help his smile falter. No, it wasn’t _him_.

“Mister! You alright?” The man called, climbing down from his horse.

This man seemed nice enough, his voice a tad rough and his face had scars on the side. Albert nodded and forced a smile. “Of course! I was just - waiting for someone.”

The man nodded slowly. “Well, it’s dangerous out here. Should’ve met them in Blackwater.”

“You’re right.” Albert chuckled, suddenly feeling ridiculous. “The thing is we haven’t actually planned to meet.” At the man’s confused expression he laughed and held his hand out. “It’s a long story. Albert Mason.”

The man took his hand and sent him a smile. “I’ll take your word for it. John Marston.”

“Pleasure. What is it you do, Mr. Marston?”

The man cleared his throat. “I own a ranch, just out that way. And you?”

Albert frowned - it wasn’t like he could say he was a wildlife photographer. This was so much easier with Arthur. “I used to do photography; coyotes, wolves, alligators - the like. I don’t do that anymore, though.”

Suddenly, Marston’s expression changed and Albert wondered if it was something he had said. And then he asked, “Did you know Arthur? Arthur Morgan?”

Albert’s heart stopped and he briefly wondered what implication of the word ‘knowing’ the man had meant. “Yes, actually. He’s actually who I’m waiting for - what a surprise. Do you know him well? Is he area?”

He hadn’t meant to ask so many questions, but it was like an odd rush of excitement had washed over him and he couldn’t stop it. But then there was a sadness lurking in the strangers gaze and his lips pressing into a thin line that immediately squashed all hope he had left.

“Arthur was like a brother to me. I’m sorry, Mr. Mason. Things happened and - he didn’t make it.” John sighed, unsure of what to do next. “It’s been over a year.”

Albert stood there, eyes slowly moving down until he was staring at the the strangers feet. His heart felt like it was being squeezed as tightly as possible - as if this man was pulling it from his chest only to stomp on it beneath his boots.

Albert didn’t know what to say - he wasn’t even sure he knew how to process it all. He should have known this was going to happen, he had felt it all this time. But like a fool, he had hoped to see Arthur Morgan one more time. If only it hadn’t been too late.

“He wrote about you - in his journal.” John Marston reached into his satchel and pulled out a leather bound journal and flipped through the pages. “He actually did several times. He really admired you, I hope you know that.”

He handed over the journal and Albert’s breath caught at the wonderful drawings and beautifully written words. He hadn’t known this side of Arthur, the man with delicate writing and a warm view of the world - of _him_. There was drawings of him and of the wolves and the horses and words that made this fool of a man’s heart swell.

Then a mark appeared on the page and Albert broke from his trance, glancing at the growing water stain. And then he realized he was crying, tears dripping from his eyes and down his cheeks.

“Mr. Mason?” John asked cautiously, his brows furrowed and lips turned into a frown.

Albert cleared his throat lightly and nodded, closing the journal. “I’m so sorry, how silly of me. I just wasn’t expecting this.” He passed the journal over and wiped his eyes.

Marston was quiet while carefully putting the journal away. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” Albert smiled weakly, taking a breath. “I will be fine. Thank you, Mr. Marston. I’m very thankful to have run into you today. I think I should get going.”

The stranger nodded and his jaw tightened for a moment as he stared at him. “Yeah, of course. You be well now, Mr. Mason.” And after that the man left and Albert was left alone.

He stood there fidgeting with his hands and his chest tightening as he tried to catch his breath. Albert spent all this time wondering about Arthur Morgan and what he was doing and how he was doing. Only to find out that he had passed and Albert would never get to see him again. And now he wasn’t sure what he was going to do now.

Albert was missing Arthur very much and he wished things had been different.


End file.
